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New thinking. New possibilities.

Welcome to our new way of thinking. It's bigger, smarter and driven by the desire to share stylish, high quality, efficient vehicles with everyone.

It means we challenge convention, in all kinds of ways – not for the sake of being different, but because in each case, it makes the Hyundai you drive that little bit better. Here are just a few examples of our new thinking in action.

Our own robots
The only way to make sure we’ve got complete trust in the robots that build our cars is to build the robots ourselves..Not only do they meet our high standards, they allow us to continually adapt them and improve their efficiency.

In-house metal experts
Buying steel from someone else means we couldn't guarantee its quality, so we make our own. Our steel plant has 400 metallurgists to perfect the recipe for each part and panel.

Factory saves trees
New thinking affects everything we do. While building our factory in the Czech Republic for the award-winning i30, we found a way to remove more than 1,000 trees for safe-keeping, and put them back when it was finished.

Road testing
At the Nošovice factory in Europe, every New Generation i30 is driven by an inspector before it leaves. Not just one car in ten or one in a hundred, but every single one.

Tyres that can't be punctured
Hyundai engineers are working on new possibilities for the cars of the future, including puncture-proof honeycomb tyres, self-healing paint and wiperless glass.

Melting pot design
To create models with a European focus, we built a design and engineering centre in the heart of Europe, and filled it with a unique multicultural mix of talent, drawn from all over Europe.

Green Move initiative
We've become environmental experts in learning to minimise our own impact, so now we use that knowledge working with communities around the world. In northern China, for example we're planting 50 km2 of specialist grass in the desert to combat dust storms, which have led to health problems for people living in regions of China and Korea.

Going to extremes
To ensure your Hyundai is comfortable whatever the weather, our tests include a chamber that can generate a searing 60˚ C, and one that makes 7cm of snow in an hour.

5 Year Triple Care
Our confidence in our cars and our commitment to quality is such that we offer an industry-leading package of reassurance with every model: a 5 year unlimited mileage warranty, 5 years' roadside assistance and 5 years of free annual vehicle healthchecks.

Ocean-going Hyundai
We go to the ends of the earth to make sure your Hyundai arrives in perfect condition, and on time. Rather than rely on anyone else, we build the ships that deliver our cars all round the world.

History

0 - 5th in 50 years

The power of new thinking has helped Hyundai become the world's fifth largest motor group in less than fifty years, selling 4.05 million vehicles in 2011

In 1967, in an innovative arrangement, Chung Ju-Yung started the Hyundai Motor Company to build the Cortina in Korea, in association with Ford.

Smart enough to realise world-class expertise could unlock lucrative new markets, Chung hired former Austin Morris boss George Turnbull in the 1970s to lead development of Hyundai's own first car.

Within two decades Hyundai was exporting in volume, to the huge US market among others.

Today, Hyundai has the world's biggest car plant. Ulsan in South Korea, builds 1.5 million cars a year – the equivalent of one every 20 seconds, thanks to 34,000 personnel and berths where three 50,000 ton ships can anchor simultaneously. It's also known as the 'forest plant', because it has 58,000 trees landscaped within it.

Hyundai also has Europe's most modern plant, Nošovice in the Czech Republic, with advanced technologies and waste-management systems to ensure exceptionally high levels of quality, while keeping impact on the environment to a minimum.

In 2005, Hyundai built the Rüsselsheim Design and Engineering Centre in Germany, a state-of-the-art studio bringing together designers and engineers from all over Europe. This makes it possible to design, engineer and manufacture cars in Europe, specifically for European customers.

In the UK, Hyundai has replaced its entire line-up of 14 cars with all-new improved models, in just four years.

Awards

Highly-rated Hyundai

The new thinking that goes into our cars makes them consistently award-winning. Here are just a few accolades from the last few months.

New Generation i30 awarded Car of the Year 2012 by Carbuyer.co.uk (and Best Family Car, too)

Which? Magazine named Hyundai as Best Car Manufacturer 2011, for our exceptional value and great customer experience

i20 and i30 received Which? 'Best Buy' status in 2011

Hyundai i10 awarded Best City Car 2011 by Auto Express (for the second year running)

Santa Fe Best Used SUV at the What Car? Used Car of the Year Awards 2011

Auto Express named ix20 Best Supermini-MPV 2011

Blue Drive

New thinking is Blue thinking
Our cars use a collection of innovative technologies we call 'Blue Drive' to improve fuel consumption and reduce emissions.

Together they can make a dramatic difference. The New i20 Blue, for example, emits just 84 g/km of CO2 and returns an astonishing best-in-class 88.3 miles per gallon, measured on combined cycle .
Today's Blue Drive technologies are just the beginning. But with Blue models throughout the Hyundai range offering class-leading eco-performance, our new thinking means we can offer real, practical ways to reduce emissions substantially, here and now.

Our thinking in action

ISG (Intelligent Stop & Go)
When you're sitting in traffic or waiting at the lights, ISG automatically stops the engine, then instantly restarts it when you press the clutch. You'll hardly notice it. But you'll notice fuel savings of up to 15%.

Low rolling resistance tyres
Less effort means less energy. These tyres help reduce your fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, without compromising on grip or safety.

Electric power steering
Replacing traditional systems that rely on pumps, hoses and oil, Electric Power Steering has fewer components, weighs less and consumes less engine power.

Eco drive indicator
This innovative system shows you best time to change gear, to maximise fuel efficiency. It could cut fuel bills by 7-9%.

Alternator Management System (AMS)
This clever technology means the battery is only charged during deceleration or when the engine has power to spare, saving fuel in the process.

Zero emissions

For over ten years we’ve been researching alternative fuels, not only to reduce CO2 emissions but to produce zero emissions. The results of our research have led us to become world leaders in producing Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs).

Fuel cell electric vehicles are powered by electricity through a chemical process using hydrogen fuel and oxygen. They emit no pollutants; only water and heat.

The ix35 was chosen to incorporate our latest fuel cell technology, the test model being able to travel up to 347 miles without stopping, with a top speed of 99 mph and 0-62 in 12.6 seconds. The ix35 FCEV proved so successful that a number have recently been selected by the European Commission-backed Fuel Cell & Joint Undertaking to be used as a demonstration vehicle to showcase real world feasibility.

Because we are an industry leader in zero emissions technology, we're involved in pilot schemes around the world. In Norway, for example, we're supplying ix35 FCEVs to public agencies, commercial fleets and taxi firms, in a scheme that will help develop the refuelling infrastructure that needs to be in place for FCEV to become mainstream.

In fact, though, it's already possible to go a very long way on hydrogen. In April 2012, Norway's Zero Emission Resource Organisation (ZERO) drove two Hyundai ix35 FCEVs from Oslo to Monte Carlo, making only five stops at established refuelling stations along the route.

We aim to start mass production of the ix35 FCEV in 2015, as part of our commitment to creating an environmentally sustainable automotive industry.

Other Hyundai zero emission initiatives include a Sonata HEV hybrid that can be driven in electric-only mode, the all-electric BlueOn (based on the i10), and an electric tricycle concept codenamed ECCOV, the Eco Community Vehicle.

End of Life Vehicle scheme

Every Hyundai is built with consideration for what happens at the end of its life.

We use recycled and recyclable materials wherever possible. To make recycling easy, we label all parts weighing over 50g using recognised identification codes. And at our own steel mill, we're piloting a unit that can strip a Hyundai at the end of its life to a shell in just 30 minutes, then re-cycle the steel for new Hyundai cars.

By 2015, 95% of a Hyundai will be able to be recycled.

Our ELV scheme

We have arranged a free* take-back service for Hyundai vehicles, managed by Cartakeback. For more information please visit the Cartakeback website at www.cartakeback.com or call 0845 257 32 33.

*A charge may be made is the vehicle is not complete or if it contains additional waste.

Battery recycling

When your battery reaches the end of its life, your local Hyundai dealer will be happy to accept it for recycling. Alternatively, you can take it to your local Civic Amenity Site/Recycling Centre. You can find recycling facilities near you here [link to www.recycle-more.co.uk ]